We Are For Good Podcast – Episode 648: Unlock Your Board’s Potential: Accountability, Succession, and Engagement with Christal Cherry
Date: September 24, 2025
Host(s): Jon McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE
Guest: Christal Cherry – Founder & CEO, The Board Pro; Founder & Chair, F3 Fabulous Female Fundraisers

Episode Overview

In this energizing and wisdom-packed episode, hosts Jon and Becky sit down with nonprofit board expert Christal Cherry to discuss actionable ways nonprofit leaders can boost board engagement, accountability, and succession. Christal draws on her deep experience as a consultant, board member, and founder, sharing why board work is fundamentally about relationships—and why intentionally creating a culture of connection, clarity, and fun is the secret to unlocking a board’s real potential.

Key topics include concrete tools for engaging and activating boards, strategies for overcoming disengagement, fostering accountability, recruiting value-aligned board members, navigating tough conversations, and succession planning. Christal’s signature warmth, candor, and humor shine as she reframes board service as a deeply human, joy-fueled commitment—especially crucial in today’s challenging climate.

Highlights & Key Insights

1. Step One: Get Passionate, Get Personal, Get Giving

[04:26 – 05:54]

• Christal’s #1 tip for board engagement is direct and practical: every board member should give—and consider stretching further during critical times.

  • Quote:
    “If you’ve not yet made your own personal gift, now is the time. And even if you’ve made your own personal gift, make a stretch gift… because this time, we are in critical times right now. Our nonprofits are struggling. Our CEOs and executive directors are burnt the hell out and they need you, they need us. They need their boards to step up and support them more now than ever.”
    — Christal Cherry [04:28–04:48]

• Remind boards: Showing up with gifts—beyond the minimum—demonstrates commitment and sets the tone for fundraising.

• “Throw in your Starbucks money” or other small luxuries as an extra gesture of support.

• Abundance Mindset: Despite tightened funding, Christal believes “the money is out there” and challenges boards to do the collective work to access it.

2. Fear Is Normal—Don’t Let It Stop You

[05:54 – 07:57]

• Many board members hesitate to fundraise out of fear or discomfort. Christal reframes this:

  • Fear is outweighed by genuine passion for the mission.
  • Not everyone will be a frontline asker, but everyone has a role (connector, ambassador, advocate, thanker, etc.).
  • Quote:
    “Stop letting fear get in the way… My passion for that mission trumps that. So, when I start feeling, oh, these little butterflies, that's nothing compared to people who are living on the street. They need our support. So my little butterflies in my stomach is nothing compared to that.”
    — Christal Cherry [06:04–06:34]

• Know Your Board: Understand strengths and comfort zones, then match roles accordingly. Let connectors connect, influencers promote, and askers ask.

3. Banishing Board Disengagement—Make It Fun & Relational

[08:05 – 12:10]

• Disengaged boards don’t always signal a problem with members themselves—it’s often about missing opportunities for meaningful engagement.
  • “We can make board work fun. We can make it something that people actually look forward to.” — Christal Cherry [08:50]
• Engagement goes far beyond attending meetings and reading bylaws. Opt for:
  • Volunteerism at programs and events
  • Writing thank-you notes, calling donors
  • Participating in community events or organizational activities
  • Personal Touch: Making it fun and rewarding keeps board members excited and ready to show up.
• Both staff and boards must bridge the engagement gap—a two-way street.
• Quote:
  “The onus is on the organization to find ways to keep them excited and engaged. They will do it. If they like it, right? If it's something they enjoy, feel reward from, they will do it.”
  — Christal Cherry [10:50–11:06]

Memorable Example:

• Christal shares her own experience at the YMCA: reading children's books in the nursery, volunteering at races, training new board members, bringing friends—showing that true engagement is about finding and cultivating connection points.

4. Accountability: Follow Through & The “Drumbeat” of Board Communication

[15:37 – 20:50]

• Accountability isn’t about nagging, but about building relationships and mutual respect.

• Tangible Practices:

  • Regular reminders (email, text, calendar invites)
  • Small gestures (personalized folders, birthday cards, knowing favorite colors)
  • Repeated communication before meetings/events
  • Having a designated board relations role (if resources allow) makes a big difference

• Quote:
  “Your board are stakeholders, they're volunteers, and you have to cultivate relationships with them just like you would any other group. It's a relationship business. They have to feel like—'you see me beyond being the ATM machine'…”
  — Christal Cherry [16:53–17:06]

• Get to Know Your Board: Invest in the small but meaningful details. People show up when they feel seen and valued.

• Thorough Onboarding: Provide role descriptions, expectations, calendar of events, culture statements, and more.

5. Recruitment: Vision, Values, and Who You Are Now

[21:50 – 24:56]

• Board recruitment isn’t just about skills—it's about alignment with mission, values, and organizational needs.

• Visioning Session: Begin by clarifying the board’s current identity and future direction.

  • Who are we now?
  • What have we learned?
  • What do we need in this season?
  • Who do we need by our side?

• Quote:
  “Board work has really changed and we need you to lean in. We do not need seat warmers at this time. If you cannot participate or contribute and it's not a good time for you—step down and give the seat to someone else.”
  — Christal Cherry [24:46–24:56]

• Seek bold, values-driven members ready to think, collaborate, and occasionally weather tough storms.

6. Transparency: Communicating Hard News & Triaging Challenges

[27:17 – 28:47]

• Do not sugarcoat or avoid negative news; radical honesty is a leadership imperative.
• Quote:
  “No, I think the only way to go is truth…Let everyone know, you know, that we, we. We need the doors closed. We are about to get into some tough topics, and I need everyone to lean in and pay attention right now… just be honest and transparent about whatever it is.”
  — Christal Cherry [27:17–27:50]
• Personal and organizational challenges are best faced together. Staff leaders: invite boards to share the load, offer opinions, and become true partners.

7. Succession Planning: Start Early—Don’t Procrastinate

[30:36 – 32:55]

• Begin conversations about leadership transitions long before they’re urgent.

• Ask, “Who’s your number two?” and actively groom future leaders.

• Quote:
  “Please don’t wait until the last minute and now run around scrambling trying to find folks… You should be molding and shaping whoever could be a number two now.”
  — Christal Cherry [30:36–31:43]

• Plan messaging to staff, board, and funders about transitions to maintain stability.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Human-Centered Board Culture:
  “You have to engage them. You have to give them things that they can do, ways that they can integrate into your nonprofit’s life. And you have to equip them. These people—who comes to a board with a PhD in board work?… No one.”
  — Christal Cherry [18:26–18:54]

• On Making Board Members Feel Seen:
  “When people actually feel like you see us… That matters when you start your board meeting like that.”
  — Christal Cherry [16:33–16:46]

• Radical Connection as a Theme:
  “My board, our theme is radical connection… If I don’t hear from [someone], or they’ve been quiet, I’m watching and observing. I’m going to call you and say, ‘Hey, just wanted to check to make sure everything was okay.’”
  — Christal Cherry [34:19–34:43]

• On Shared Ownership and Feedback:
  “I’m letting them know I hear you. I’m giving you an opportunity to lean in on something that’s important… and what you have to say matters.”
  — Christal Cherry [36:13–36:20]

Segment Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment / Topic | |------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:26 | Board giving & personal investment | | 05:54 | Overcoming fear of fundraising; matching strengths to roles | | 08:05 | Diagnosing and fixing disengaged boards; making board work fun | | 15:37 | Accountability & relationship-building; the importance of a board liaison | | 21:50 | Best practices for thoughtful board recruitment & visioning | | 27:17 | Communicating tough news and triaging with transparency | | 30:36 | Succession planning—how to start early and prepare | | 34:19 | “One Good Thing”: Radical connection as everyday practice | | 36:13 | Involving the board in projects—campaigns, Giving Tuesday, etc. | | 37:20 | Final reflections: Boards as communities, boards as fun! | | 37:53 | Where to find Christal online & the new podcast |

Actionable Takeaways

• Audit Board Giving: Ensure every board member has contributed recently—and encourage stretch gifts and new ways to give.
• Map Board Strengths: Survey board members about their comfort with fundraising, advocacy, logistics, etc. Place them where they’ll thrive.
• Re-energize Collaboration: Add interactive, fun, or mission-facing elements between (not just during) meetings.
• Personalize Engagement: Thank members with personalized notes, check in when they’re less active, and share small surprises.
• Elevate Recruitment: Hold visioning sessions; prioritize values and capacity for engagement over resumes.
• Practice Transparent Leadership: Invite boards into tough conversations early—with honesty and clear calls to action.
• Plan Succession: Never wait for a crisis. Identify and nurture next-generation leadership regularly.
• Live “Radical Connection”: Monitor, check in, and care for your people—human-to-human, not just role-to-role.

Where to Find Christal & Resources

• Podcast: The Board Shake Up (Fridays on Spotify)
• LinkedIn: Christal Cherry
• Instagram: @theboardpro
• Facebook: The Board Pro
• Other: F3 Fabulous Female Fundraisers community and resources

This episode is an energizing masterclass in nonprofit board leadership—an essential listen (or read!) for anyone seeking not just a productive board, but a joyful, resilient, and deeply connected one. Christal gives practical scripts, a values-based framework, and an unapologetically human tone to the work of board service.

“It’s not rocket science. This is human to human engagement—and it can be fun.”
— Jon McCoy [37:40–37:42]